The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-08-05
A FATAL ACCIDENT.
Joseph Dunn /. Shot while Hunting.
The PartIoulars.

A sad accident occurred Saturday af-
ternoon, resulting in the death of Joseph
Dunn, boy aged thirteen years.
The particulars Of the case are as fol-
lows:
1t seems that Joseph Dunn, accompa-
MED by two companions named Frank
Brayton and VIM. 0lmstead, about four
teen and eighteen years old respectively,
went hunting up the Minnesota river
Saturday afternoon. Joseph had been
previously forbidden to go by his father,
Mr.. VIM. Dunn, who is stone mason
and is working upon the court house.
Joe, as he was Familiarity called, took his
fathers dinner to him at noon, and ask
ed him if he might go hunting, but was
told that he could not as his father was
afraid something might happen to him.
He decided to go, his parents decision
to the contrary Notwithstanding. There
was an old muzzle-loading shotgun in
the house, which Joseph's grandfather
owned and which had been handed
down in the family. He took this gun
and, unknown TO his mother, slipped
out of the house and down to the river,
where he was joined by the other two
boys. They rowed up the river nearly
to South Bend and disembarked. Joe
and the Brayton boy had been having
some pleasant words about the formers
ability or inability to shoot the snipe |
that hover along the river banks. The
Brayton and 0lmsted boys walked a lit |
tie way from the boat, leaving Joe stand
ing by it. One of them shot at snipe |
and called on Joe to shoot another that |
had risen. The latter's gun was lyingin
the boat and, in his haste to get it out,
he carelessly pulled it toward him muz-
zle foremost. AS he dragged it over the
seat or side of the boat the trigger caught
and snapped, discharging the contents
of the barrel into the boys abdomen.
The gun was heavily loaded with shot,
and hole several inches in diameter
was torn through the intestines. The
other two boys say that for moment or
two Joseph stood still, not realizing what
had happened. He even slightly resist
ed their attempts to get him into the
boat. When he saw the blood he began
to scream loudly that he was shot and
would die. Frank Brayton supported
him, while young Olmsted rowed as
hard as he could for the city. When
they had gone as far as the mouth of the
Blue Earth river, the poor boy began to
call for his father. About the time that
Sibley mound was passed one of his
asked him Il question
which he tried to answer, but he was
unable to speak. He expired immedi-
ately afterwards.
When the city was reached the body
of the unfortunate boy was conveyed
to the home of his parents, and DR.. An
drews was hastily summoned, but, of
course, could do nothing. The boys
thought that Joe might have lived fif-
teen minutes after being shot, but the
doctor, after viewing the remains, said
that he could not have survived more
than ten minutes. The shooting took
place at about six o'clock, and about
twenty minutes were occupied in reach
ing the landing place.
The boy was the oldest of family of
six children, and was of a loving and du-
tiful disposition. His disobedience of
his fathers wish on this occasion was
brought about by his having recently
kept the company of bad boys, though |
not bad himself. The father has resided
here since winter, but has been known
in the city fort past twelve years. He
resides on Cherry street, below the c.
NJ. & st. P. r. R. track.
The loss of their oldest boy, the pride
and hope of the family, was severe
blow to the father and mother, who |
have the sympathy of the community in
their great sorrow. The parents are
crushed under the blow, coming as sud-
denly and unexpectedly as it did.
Coroner Paddock inquired into the
matter, but decided that no inquest was |
necessary.
The funeral took place yesterday fore |
noon, at loo o'clock, from the Irish
Catholic church, Father Prior perform
ing the last sad rites. He preached a
sermon about the results of disobedi-
ence, ETC., which all the boys in the city
should have heard.